Russia expels US diplomats in diplomatic row

Russia has expelled two US diplomats from Moscow, as retaliation for the White House’s decision to order two Russian embassy staff to leave Washington.

The Kremlin accused the US diplomats of being CIA agents, and Russian deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said they were expelled for “activities incompatible with their diplomatic status”.

US State department spokesman John Kirby said that two Russian officials, who have not been named, were told to leave Washington on 17 June. The move came after a Russian policeman attacked a US diplomat near the US embassy in Moscow earlier that month.

"The action was unprovoked and it endangered the safety of our employee," he said. "The Russian claim that the policeman was protecting the embassy from an unidentified individual is simply untrue."

However, Russia said earlier this week that the US official was a CIA agent who had refused to provide his identification papers and hit the policeman in the face.

"Instead of the CIA employee, who was in disguise, as we understand, it could have been anyone - a terrorist, an extremist, a suicide bomber," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

US officials warned last month of increasing harassment against US diplomats by Russian security and intelligence services. The Washington Post reported that month that such harassment included breaking into the homes of embassy staff, rearranging furniture, and killing a family pet.